Flat screens with touch detection are becoming more common in modern vehicles to accommodate flexibility to provide a human-machine interface with a large number of control functions. A center console of a vehicle is the typical location for such interfaces. Touch screen controls typically lack the tactile feedback of a traditional mechanical switch, so the user has to look and confirm that a requested action was registered by waiting for a visual cue. This can result in distracting the driver, as the driver is required to remove a hand from the vehicle steering wheel and focus attention briefly away from the road.
Some touch screens can simulate the feel of a push button switch by adding an actuator directly behind the display surface. Such an additional actuators incorporated with the display add cost, weight, and complexity. Actuator feedback can assist a user by providing an indication that pressing of a virtual push button was detected. Incorporating additional actuators may not be feasible in certain designs, and the feedback response can be limited to certain gestures on a touch screen.